Interchangeable Sets
It didn’t occur to me (until I decided to do an episode of Knitting with QueerJoe) just how many interchangeable sets of knitting needles I owned.
Getting the Most from your Interchangeable Sets
Did I ever tell you that I happened upon “lifelines” and “magic loop” long before anyone ever named them either of those things? In fact I called them “safety nets” and “blistered cable” for years before I ever heard their more recent names. As Elizabeth Zimmermann would say, I unvented them.
I should also make up a clever name for the cool technique in my Knitting with QueerJoe episode today that lets you almost double how many cable needle sets you can make. Any marketing geniuses want to suggest a clever name that will take the knitting world by storm? Watch the episode and let me know. The tip is all the way at the end, so you may want to open the video in YouTube and use the navigation/jump links to go to the end.
Current Knitting
As you may have noticed in the video, I’m working on a new hat.
It’s the QueerJoe’s Simple Hat pattern with Malabrigo Rios and my own handspun/hand-dyed yarn (worked in helical stripes of each yarn).
So nice to see you, Joe! I have been a “2 circular needles for knitting in the round” knitter forever. That said, I confess to having created the twisted pretzel on more than one occasion by knitting off of the wrong needle. What I found helpful is to use 2 different color cords (I have a large collection of individual circs as well as my interchangeable sets) so that’s pretty easy for me. If one cable is black and one red, or one turquoise and one clear, I always grab the right end and don’t make that mistake! I hope you are able to convince lots of other folks that this method makes a lot of sense!
Hooray and cheers to you, Selma! Ever since, quite a few years ago, I was introduced to Cat Bordhi’s “Socks Soar on Two Circular Needles,” I’ve knit small circumference projects with two 24″ circular needles. The only time I get into the twisted pretzel is while knitting two-at-a-time socks, but that happens very rarely. So many designers ignore the use of two circs, referring instead to DPNs or Magic Loop. No thank you!
Oh, Fred. Your “no thank you” has resonated with me as I’ve been carrying hat projects in my “go” bags and found myself shuffling dpns between bags with limited efficiency. Just a week or two ago, I flogged myself that I “must” get comfortable with magic loop so there would be no dead-ends away from home.
I tried, I really tried but I came away with a resounding “No Thank You” and dug out my two Denise mini short tip sets. Double circs all the way now.
NO THANK YOU ! ! !
Really enjoyed this info – coincidentally I had just seen a”Deborah Knits” dealing with a similar topic – so many different needles (and opinions!). Did you ever use the Denise needles? I started out quite a few years ago with a used set from ebay – so old it had the original suggestion that one would never need to increase or decrease again – just change one’s needle tips – wonder how that worked out? Did anyone ever try it? Sounds like a “great idea” from a non knitter to me!
I use knitpicks metal, knitters pride (now knit pro I think?) bamboo mostly. The denise are nice for acrylic and wool acrylic blends – seem to slide the yarn very nicely. But I have a quirk – my connected cords invariably fall apart – if they unscrew this is easy to notice and fix (and use the tightener). but the Denise always separated on the yarn over lace row at the furthest point – as I only use acrylic for shawls/blankets, I super glued all my shorter ones together and now only have an issue with the needle separating . . . . And a new problem is showing up in the cables – I had believed that knitpicks and knitters pride/knitpro cables were interchangable and they had been in the past – had to order new cables – the old ones were getting wonky where the screw end was – I got knit pro via amazon, and when I began to use, oddly enough the metal knitpicks needles screwed in just fine, but my bamboo knitters pride would only screw in part way. Anybody else?
Re magic loop – I was a very timid circular knitter – dpns were a disaster for me – stitches constantly falling off and tremendous laddering. Kate Atherley had a really good column in Knitty on using two circulars and double loop. Two circulars were much less scary to begin for me though didn’t always have two different colors and sadly did have issues with knitting onto the wrong needle . . .. been exclusively magic loop for years now but really beginning to hate the way those long cable “bunny ears” are in the way. I’m reconsidering the beauty of two circulars! Thanks for the great youtube!
I’ve had an original Denise set for at least 40 years, maybe 45, and have never had a cord fail but did have one tip decide to go south. Buying an additional pair was inexpensive. I also added additional cords so I almost always had what I needed ready to go.
When they added the mini-set, short tips, I found them perfect for my “go” bags. Color coordinated Sizes 5 – 10 in the mini pack, made it easy to go to two circs, or a new project, while away from my toolbox.
Knit Picks metal and bamboo are my preferred needles these day but the Denise still have uses – also Tunisian Crochet.